PARIS / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, the OECD region experienced a modest uptick in economic activity, with most member countries reporting expansion. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5% compared to the previous quarter, a slight improvement from the 0.4% growth observed in the first quarter. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 27 out of 30 countries with available data saw growth, while three nations reported no change in their quarterly output.
Ireland posted the strongest quarterly increase among the nations included, with GDP rising by 3.9%. Following closely was Israel with a 3.6% growth, both figures significantly surpassing the OECD average. Meanwhile, Austria, Belgium, and Chile experienced no growth at all during the second quarter. On an annual basis, OECD GDP expanded by 2.3% from the same period last year, up from a 1.7% increase in the first quarter.
In contrast, the G7 group of major economies showed a slight slowdown. Their combined GDP grew by 0.3% in the second quarter, down from 0.4% in the previous period. Germany and Italy each recorded 0.2% growth, while Japan’s economy expanded by 0.3%. The United Kingdom and the United States both achieved 0.4% growth. Canada experienced a more robust increase of 0.8%, and France returned to growth with a 0.2% expansion.
Mixed Results Mark G7’s Second Quarter
Several leading economies saw their growth rates slow due to shifts in domestic demand and trade dynamics. Japan’s private consumption remained unchanged, with declines in inventories and investments. In the UK, weaker private consumption coupled with reduced government spending slowed the quarterly pace. Similarly, the US faced weaker export figures, inventory reductions, and lower government expenditure. These trends contributed to the overall deceleration within the G7 group.
Canada stood out among G7 nations with the largest quarterly gain, jumping from zero growth in the first quarter to 0.8%. France also saw improvement, moving from a contraction of 0.1% in the first quarter to a 0.2% increase in the second quarter. These results contrast sharply with the rapid growth seen in Ireland and Israel, while Austria, Belgium, and Chile experienced no change from the previous three months.
OECD’s Annual Growth Accelerates to 2.3%
Looking at the annual figures, the broader group of OECD countries exhibited a faster pace of economic growth. The OECD’s GDP was 2.3% higher than its level in the second quarter of 2025, compared to a 1.7% rise in the first quarter. Among the G7 economies, the United States showed the highest year-over-year increase at 2.1%, whereas Japan’s annual growth was the lowest at 0.5%.
The OECD characterized the second-quarter estimates as provisional, based on data from countries with available GDP figures. Its August 24 report covered 30 member nations and included both quarterly and yearly comparisons. The organization is scheduled to release its next quarterly GDP update on November 19, 2026. Overall, the latest data indicate a slightly stronger growth trajectory across the OECD, despite a somewhat weaker combined performance among G7 economies.